Grain-door displacer



W. L. MIER GRAIN DUOR DISPLACER May l. 1928.

Fivled uan-n 29. `1192s 3 Smets-Sheet 1 May l, 1928.

w. l.. MIL-:R

GRAIN DOOR DISPLACBR 5 shuts-Shu( 2 Filed latch 29. 1926 May l, 1928.

W. L. MIER GRAIN DOOR DISPLACER Filed arch 29. 19.26

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 A TTORNE Y 8 Patented May l, 1928.

UNITED STATESN PATENT oFFicE.

WALTER L. HIER, OF OTTUMWA, IOWA.

amm-noon msrmcnn Application led itu-oh 29, 19136.` Serial No. 98,881.

ments asto produce a clearance for te es-`- cape of grain at the door.` y Y y While it is now the custom to `employ rather heavy lumber, viz: boards of certain dimensions as closing elements and asthey are conventionally used, the closinr elements are nailed to the car frame or studzding,fit is within the bounds of possibility that metal or composition closures may be substituted for boards, and hence applicant Wishes to be understood as comprehending any of such devices within the term door elements?.

It is an object of this invention furthermore to provide means for adjusting the de vice laterally with respect to a car and vertically also in order that the apparatus may be properly positioned with respect to the` door and actuated to operate to the best ad vantage after it has been properly positioned; hence, means are provided for moving the door displacer to advance or cause it to recede with respect to the sideof the car; and it is furthermore an object ,tol provide means for imparting movement vertically in order that the door elements may `be elevated after they have been dislodged.` E

It is a4 further object of this invention to produce a door displacer capable, of use in association with cars that are on tiltin tracks orsu ports, or cars which aretilte revardless o the manner of their supports, although the device is capable of operation in association with cars that are not tilted.

It is a still further object of this invention to rovide means for simultaneously or selectlvely operating cuttersfor severing the nails yor anchorafes by which the doorelements are secured in place and the door ele` ment dislodging and supporting instrumentalities.

It is a still further object of this invention 'to produce a grain door removerhaving ad'- vantages in points of simplicity, durability and etliciency, and the invention includes other advantages which will be hereinafter more fully set forth in the detailed description of the structure and operation.

In describin E the invention` in detail, reference will had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application wherein like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which-4- Figure 1 illustrates a view in elevation of a `door'operating device embodying the in- Ventron;

Figure 2 illustrates a view in elevation of the rear thereof;

Figure 3 illustrates anenlarged sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, omitting the door element displacer and support;

Figure 4 illustrates a detail view of the4 shear operating gearing; s `Figure 5 illustrates a sectional view of a fragment of the face or front plate; and

l4`igure 6 illustrates an enlarged detail view of the clutch mechanism.

In the present embodiment of the ,invenf tion, a gram carbody 15 is conventionally be `of shown in section, and the track 16` ma the tilting type, by which the car is tilted to displace grain therein. i A

A frame for supporting the mechanism of the invention may include channel irons 17 that may be supported on suitable posts or n other devices, which those skilledin the. art' will' supply without the exercise of invention, the said frame being also associated with a chute 18Vv which Will receive grain` from the drain discharging opening in the car aftertthe door is removed, althou h ob-` viously, thechute may be omitted an l other means may be supplied for receiving the grain. l,The `frame has supports 19 for guiding rollers20, and it is immaterial whether the sup ortsrotate in the frame or the guid-A ingA rol ers rotate on the supports, but the `function of the rollers is to act as guides; for the `vertically disposed channel elements 21` `of a frame of which the cross head 22 is a prt, the said crosshead, in the present em" diment of the invention, constituting an `anchoragefor the piston rod 23 that op-` erates in a cylinder 24, which cylinder may be provided with a piston mounted `on the y piston rod in order thatthe frame may be moved vertically under the action of an expansible force admitted to the cylinder, but the inventor does not wish to be limited with respect to the force em loyed, or the `manner of its control, since t ose are well known expediente and itis enough for the purpose of this disclosure to say that itis the obi ject of the inventor to utilize the mechanism follower or front to be forced against theclosure members' when the grain door is to be removed.

for raising and lowerinv the frame in order that the track or platform 25 carried by the side elements 21 may be raised and lowered with respect to the car. Y

Approximately horizontally disposed tracks or channel elements 26 are attached one to each of the upright members 21 by suitable fastenings 27 such as rivets or the like, and hence as the frame, of which the upright members 21 are a part, is elevated, the track is likewise elevated. The tracks or channel members 26 fare connected below at their endsby a plate or tie 28. Y

A cylinder 29 is applied to mountings or supports 30 and 31 on the tracks 26, and the said cylinder is intended to operate in conjunction with an ordinary piston 4from which a piston rod 32 projects, the said piston rod being hingedly connected to a plate 33 which is intended Preferably the plate 33 is provided with a plurality of anchoring elements such as spurs 34 that are preferably formed on the ends of bolts 35 that are threaded in the plate and secured at ditferent positions of adjustment by a jamb nut 36. The inventor does not wish to be limited with respect to the number ofk spurs employed, but as they are to coastI with a plurality of closure members or slabs, they should be distributed throughout the area of the plate to insure an effective anchorage for the work involved. One skilled in the art will understand that the number may be increased or diminished to suit particular requirements. The frontor faceplate is also associa-ted with side plates 37 which project from the plate at each end thereof, and these side plates have extensions 38 which are applied to the shafts or axles 39 of the wheels 40, which latter travel on the rails or chan` nel members 26.

It is the intention of the inventor that the. cylinder 29 shall have lconventional means forthe supply of fluid underpressure in order that a piston therein may be dis# placed in one or another direction for projecting or retracting the piston rod and for likewise communicating motion to the frame, which includes the face and side platesthat have just been describedl and on which the cutters and the door element dis-V placing 'means and their operating parts are mounted. j

A suitable beam 41 may be supported between the side plates on which a motor 42 will be stationed, and the motor may be of anyV appropriate type, preferably electrically driven, although when the device is to be used where current cannot he had, any type of motor or engine may be employed.

' The motor is here shown as having a shaft 42* on' which a pinion 43 is secured, the said vis journaled pinion meshing with a gearwheel 44 on a shaft 45 journaled in appropriate bearings 46 on the side plates. The shaft 45 has a Worm 47 at or approximately*centrally its length and the worin is engaged by a worm wheel 481m a shaft 49, which shaft is disosed at rio'ht angles to the shaft 45 and it in appropriate bearings, The shaft 49 has a clutch member 5() splined on it and the said 'shaft 49 rotatesin a clutch member 51 on the hub of which latter clutch member sprocket teeth 52 are carried. The clutch member 50 is moved longitudinally' of the shaft by the usual 'forked lever 50, and as this is of conventional type, further illustration thereof is believed to be unnecessary. The clutch' member 51 is also associated with and rotates a pinion wheel 53 whose 'teeth operate in conjunction with the teeth of the oppositely vdisposed vracks 54 and 55 of the arms 56 and 57, respectively. A sprocket chain 58 operates overthe teeth 53 and around a sprocket wheel 59v of a shaft 60 near the bottoms of the side plates. A pinion 61 is rotatable with the shaft 60 and its teeth engage the teeth of the racks 62 and 63 of the arms 64 and 65, respectively. The arms 56 and 64v carry a vertically disposed knife 66 and the arms 57 and 65 carry a vertically' disposed knife 67. The knives are tapered in width from their upper to their lower ends, although they may be oppositely tapered, or both of them may be tapered from their lower to their upper ends to accomplish what the inventor has in mind in giving them a taper. The purpose is to cause the knives to act on nails or anchoring devices b which the door elements are secured to e car frame v or studding. By reason of the tapered configuration, the anchoring elements, which will be hereinafter termed nails, will be practically successively encountered and sheared, so that the resistance afforded by Contact 'of the knives with the said nails will be distributed over a wider range of movement of the knives than'would occur if therknife edges were straight.

Within the run of the chain 58, a sprocket wheel 68 is caused to engage the links of the sprocket chain, and the said sprocket wheel 68 is mounted on a shaft 69 havin' a beveled pinion 70 which drives a beve ed wheel 71 on the shaft 72 which is journaled in appropriate manner in the side plates.

The beveled gear wheel 71 rotates freely on the shaft 72but it is provided with a clutch member 71a that coacts with a clutch member 71h that is splined on the shaft 72. The clutch member 71by is operated by the usual clutch shifting lever .71c of appropriate type, and when the clutch members 71a and 71b are engaged, the shaft 72 will be rotated, whereas when they are out of engagement, the gear wheel 71 will rotate on the shaft without communicating motion` to the shaft 72. y

In the operation ofthe device, the mechanism is driven kto project the blades for shearing thev anchors of- Vthe door members,

and while this Loperation takes place, the

gear 71 .idles on its shaft. The mechanism is then set and operated to retract the shearing blades and the clutch members 71Fand 7l" `are adjusted to operate the shaft 7 2 when the gear wheel 70 is rotated. Afterthe cut:- ting blades have been retracted, the mechanism is again driven through the motor, and

at this operation the curved bars` will be projected to dislodge the door members, as

will be hereinafter described. Y

At each end or near each end of the ,shaft 72 there is a pinion 7 3 meshing With a `gear wheel 7 4. Each of the wheels 74 is rotatablev on a stud or pin 7 5 on a side plate and each of the gear Wheels 74 engages the teeth of a segmental rack 7 6 formed as a part of a prying and supporting bar 77. `Each bar 77 is preferably providedwith a tapered end andthese bars operate to displace the lowermost door element to orceit inwardly and upwardly in order that the said door element may be deposited on and carried by the bar as it is projected, through the gearing just described, in an are 1n order ,that the bars will successively dislodge the door elements order that they will have no Wedgmg action.

and support them -While grain is beingrun from the car. Preferably 1n operation, after the door elements have been dislodged,

s the frame and the parts carried thereby are elevated for the purpose of carrying the door elements further up Within the car body to increase the clearance .for the escape ot grain, and when the apparatus is operated to lower the trame and the parts carried by Vit and the gearing is operated, to restore the be operated through a cylinder 51b having an appropriate iston and a piston` rod 5lc extending there rom, the piston to be operated in the cylinder by conventional types ot' pressure, as those skilled in the art will understand. j

The blades of the shears should preferably be constructedl with Vtheir sides arallel in The arms and the racks thereon that engage the pinions 53 and 61 are guided ,by

ribs 80 on the face'of the plate 33.

As the operation ofthe dierent elements has been `ascribed to them in connectionwith a description of the said elements, a rsum of the operationof the device as a whole is believed unnecessary `to an understanding of the invention by oneskilled in the art.V

I claim:

l. In a grain door dis lacet, means comprising curvedbars for isplacing and supporting grain door elements, and means for projecting, elevating and retracting thesaid bars.

2. In a grain door displacer, means com-` prising curved bars for displacing and supporting grain door elements, means for moving the bars longitudinally andaprojecting and retra-cting the same, and means for elevating and lowering said bars.A

3. In a grain door Vdisplacer, a mounting forl operating mechanism, means for movably supporting the mounting whereby it may be projected and retracted with relation to a car, displacing and supporting means for door elements operatively applied to the mounting and mechanism for operating the said means.

4. In a grain door displacer, a mounting for operating mechanism, means for mov-` ably supporting the ymounting whereby it may loe-projected and retracted with relation to a car, displacing and supporting means for door elements operatively applied to the mounting, mechanism for operatingthe said means, and means for elevating and lowering the mounting.

y 5. In a grain door displacer, a mounting, means for supporting the: mounting for movement with relation to `a car door,

shearing blades applied to the mounting for movement toward and away from each other, means on the mounting for displacing door elements, and mechanism for operating the shears and the last mentioned means simultaneously.

6. In a grain door displacer, a front plate and side plates extending from the ends of Ythe front plate, means for holding the side plates in assembled relation to each other, a carriage on which the assembled plates are mounted, means for elevating and lowering the carriage, rack bars mounted for movement on the rear face of the front plate and projecting from opposite ends thereof, shearing blades carried by the bars, door element displacing means operatively mounted on the side plates, and mechanism for actuating the last mentioned means and the rack bars in unison.

7. In a grain door displacer, a front plate and side plates extending from the ends of the front plate, means for holding the side plates in assembled relation to each other,

a carriage on which the assembled plates are mounted, means for elevating and lowering the carriagerack bars mounted for movement on the rear `face of the front plate and projecting from opposite ends thereof, shearing blades carried Vby the door element displacin means operatively mounted on the side p ates, mechanism for actuating the last mentioned means and the rack bars in unison, and spurs projecting from the outer face of the front plate.

8. In a grain door displacer, a mounting comprising a front plateA and side plates extending parallel from the ends thereof, means for holding the side plates in assembled .relation to. each other, curved guides on the side plates, curved bars each including a segmental rack movable in engagement with the guides and in position for their ends to be projected beyondthe face of the. plate, pinions engaging the racks, means for rotating the pinions oppositely, and 'means for retaining the front plate in engagement with grain doorV elements.

9.V In a grain door displacer, a mounting comprising a front plate and side plates eX- tendingv parallel *from the ends thereof, means for` holding the side plates in as sembled relation to each other, curved guides on the side plates, curved bars each including a segmental rack movable in engagement with the guides and in position for their ends to be projected beyond the face of the plate,l pinions engaging the racks, means for rotating the pinions oppositely. shearing blades mounted for movement in a plane parallel with the planeof the plate, and means for retainingthe front plate in engagement with grain door elements- 10. In a grain door displacer, a front plate adapted to be held in operative relation to a grain door, shearing blades mounted for movement transversely of and beyond the. ends of the plate, the cut-ting edges ofthe bars,

spect to the positionV of the elements which they shear, means for projecting and retracting the blades, door Velement displacing devices operated simultaneously with the said shears, the said displacing devices comprising curved bars, and guides for causin the ends of the devices to project beyoni the front plate.

12. In a grain door displacer, mechanism adapted to be stationed in operative relation to a grain door including shearing blades for Severin the anchors ot' the door elements, the cutting edges of the shearing blades beingdiagonal with respect to the position of the elementswhich they shear, means for projecting and retracting the shearing blades, and means for displacing and supporting the door elements in elevated positions with respect to the positions of the door elements when anchored.

13. In a rain door displacer, curved bars,

curved guides in which the bars are movable, and meansV for projecting' and retraeting the curved bars in engagement with their guides.

14. In a 1ain door displacer, curved bars, curved guides in which the bars are movable,.means for projecting and retracting the curved bars in engagement with their guides, and means for elevatin vthe structure including the bars and gui es.

WALTER L. Minn. 

